warhammer40kfanonfandomcom-20200216-history
Drake Bloods
A newly created Semi-''Codex''-Compliant Chapter, the Drake Bloods are the youngest chapter that aided in the defense of the Widow Prime Sector. It is said the High Lords of Terra created the chapter to aid the embattled worlds after the destruction of no less than three Space Marine chapters following the disastrous Abruptia Crusade. Rumours abound that the Drake Bloods were created from the gene-seed of the Salamanders Chapter and that they were founded with the aid of their kin. This Chapter is known for their deep respect for the Imperial Guard and all those who fight for the Imperium. With the arrival of Imperial Nilhilus the Chapter laid within the Widow Prime Sector. As it laid near Segementum Obscurus the entire region lost access to the Astronomicon for hundreds of years. To make matters worse some of its companies, most notably its third, eighth, and ninth companies were deployed to Armaggedon. The chapter has been forcibly cut off. History The Drake Bloods is a chapter that has only have begun their journey as a new chapter. They were created during the 26th Founding. Though they enjoyed much history, they arrived in the Widow Prime Sector after the destruction of no less than two chapters during the Abruptia Crusade. Originally founded to guard the Northern Segementum Obscurus, the chapter was forced by the orders of the high lords of Terra to reinforce the Widow Prime Sector due to its importance to Cadia and the entirety of its defenses. The chapter has been known to engage Dark Eldar and Ork warbands with ferocity unheard of amongst a supposed Salamanders' Successor Chapter. The chapter is lead by Taekal the Wreathed. He serves as both First Captain and Chapter Master and leads the first company which often calls itself the Forged. They are known to wear red and black cloaks made of scales from the creatures that live upon their recruiting worlds of Ier and Nav. These creatures are said to be ancients are seldom called Drakes by the local populations that live upon these planets. These beasts have scaly hides, they are amongst the apex predators among these worlds. Some within the chapter elite take it as a challenge to slay one and skin it brings its hide back to the chapter. Many veterans of the chapter see it as a rite of passage into the chapters Veteran Company. Taekal is the current Chapter Master of The Drake Bloods, the chapter is relatively small, but a united brotherhood of Astartes, their homeworld after they arrived in the Sector of Widow Prime, they were given a Star Fortress, an ancient relic recovered by the Wanderer’s Chapter and Storm Crusaders from the fallen Astartes Chapter once known as the Emperor’s Blades. The Abruptia Crusade Aftermath While not directly involved with what is considered one of the most devastating crusades in Imperial History, the Drake Bloods were created to replace one of the chapters the Emperor's Blades. Though many of the Chapters that served with the Emperor's Blades perceive the Drake Bloods to be lesser. When the chapter arrived in the Widow Prime Sector they found desperation as many of the forces were drawn from the sector what once had been a fortified sector they only found ruin. Desperately clinging to its holdings as Orks, Chaos, Eldar Corsairs, and the Myriad of Xenos Races preyed upon the weakened sector. To make matters worse the Crusade left a gap in leadership and military commanders throughout the sector as many of its resources had been expended. The Drake Bloods went to work cleansing each world it came across. Upon the Planet of Pachiea, the chapter saved the entire populous from an Unknown Xenos race and the planet was spared a dreadful death. In honor of their victory, Pachiea 's Governor pledged herself and her worlds to the Drake Bloods in payment. Timeline *'The War of Souls (988.M41): '''With the near defeat of the Storm Crusaders, the Drake Bloods are charged with the protection of the Northern Quadrant of the Widow Prime Sector. Within weeks of their posting, the chapter is attacked by Renegade Warband called The Bloody Hand. Ongoing the war has lasted twelve years and is believed to continue till the Bloody Hand is rooted from the Widow Prime Sector. *'Destruction of the Lousi (999.M41): The Civilized World of Lousi became besieged by the remnants of the Tridial Protectorate. The Drake Bloods are quick to respond and deploy their Third Company to deal with the Tridial Protectorate lead by Blood Captian Beric Vanhagen. *M42 Imperial Nilihius - With the entirety of the Widow Prime Sector falling on the other side of the Great Rift. The Drake Bloods face the very gates of hell. *M42 The War of Pachiea - With the onset of Imperial Nihlius the chapter found itself possessing 7/10's of its original number, being unable to use warp travel, the chapter instead prepared itself in the manners that bespoke them. Within weeks reports arrived of a host of Regenade Warbands moving system to system destroying and pillaging the weakest worlds. The Drake Bloods for the first time in their history prepared to defend their homeworld against the supposed raiders. Organization As a Semi-''Codex''-Compliant Chapter, they follow the organization of the Codex Astartes with a few exceptions. The are known to have an expanded first company that is 135 strong and are called the Forged Bloods. The Chapter Master also serves as the First Captain. Due to their small size as a chapter, as a newly created, they have an overabundance of scouts and neophytes depending upon them. Something rare for a chapter, as such they have no scout company, as according to a tradition adopted from working with the Wanderers and Storm Crusader’s chapters is to place scout squads within companies for active service. The chapter are known in most circumstances to wear different colors based on their campaigns or where they will be fighting, a tactic they adopted after fighting with the Wanderers Chapter during the Helix Uprising and used well during the first years in the Widow Prime Sector. The chapter holds a deep connection with both their Chaplains, Techmarines, and Librarians such is their trust of these offices, it is not uncommon to see them leading task forces or even serve as councilors to the Chapter. The notable exception to the Codex Astartes is that all the Chaplains of the chapter wear gold laurels and cloaks to venerate their "unknown Primarch" and bare no skulls but a deathmask. Their Librarians also don their chapter's colors instead of uniform blue and also commonly bare skulls upon their armor. Each Company's Champion is often called an Oath Knight, and are given a thunder hammer instead of a power sword. Culture Like most chapters, the Drake Bloods often partake in ritualistic manners in the preparation of war. The Drake Bloods are said to adorn their helms with symbols so that they can be easily identified by their battle brothers. And as symbols of their home cultures placed upon their breastplates. The Drake Bloods venerate their Primarch Vulkan like their Progenitors, because of this veneration every decade the Drake Bloods, send envoys to Salamander's Homeworld. They harbor a deep trust for their former brothers as a few Drake Bloods once served amongst the Salamanders own number. The chapter has heavily based their companies around the fortresses of the planet of Pachiear. There are ten major fortresses upon the planet or better known as the Ten Realms of Pachiea. Each is represented by a coat or a beast of the planet. Every new Drakeblood Neophyte is taken from one of these fortresses. Beren's Hold, which is the desolate asteroid that orbits the Planet is the home of the Drakebloods. The chapter maintains an entire reserve company dedicated to defending their homeworld, called the Old Guard, veterans who are deemed too valuable to lose on the frontlines. These Old Drakes as they are called train the new recruits of the chapter and maintain the system's defenses. Each Warrior of the Drake Bloods undergoes a sacred branding, where each is given an attached four serfs. Often called the Oathen amongst the Drakebloods. Each aide the Drake Bloods in daily tasks and also deal with tasks such as readings, war preparations, and meditations. For their chapter's belief is that to be Human is to be closer to the Emperor. Their belief is that Humanity is key to defeating the forces of the Imperium. Each Drake's caretaker often is trained to deal with the mental states of the Astartes by the chaplains, some are Neophytes undergoing the training of the chapter, or are failed neophytes or ordinary serfs who have faithfully served the chapter or were recruited by the chapter. Fortress Monastery While a newer chapter they surprisingly hold a massive Starfort gifted to them which had been liberated by the Wanderers and Storm Crusaders chapters. Their starfort is famed because of its forges as it is able to produce much of the chapter's munitions and weaponry. The Drakebloods have taken to its secrets and were instructed on its histories and its many uses. The chapter named the Fortress Beren's Hold after the death of their Chapter Champion. While a mobile fortress they keep it in orbit around their main recruiting world of Pachiea. Chapter Relics Xanadar's Spear - ''Said to be forged from the still beating heart of the creatures of Pachiea. This Power Halbred is a relic wielded by Taekal the Wreathed. ''Drake's Song - ''a powerfist with a built-in flamer, said to have been created by a Forge Master of the Salamander's Chapter during the Scourging. Heroes of the Chapter Active 'Taekal the Wreathed - Chapter Master of the Drake Bloods Famed throughout his chapter for his meticulous planning and straightforwardness, Taekal is the Chapter Master of The Drake Bloods. Said to hail from the Salamanders Chapter, he is the First Chapter Master of the Drakebloods Chapter. Though originally the chapter was created to protect the Imperium from the Ignis Polatnus, a warp anomaly in 738.M41. The Chapter was reassigned after the pleading of the Sector Governor of the Widow Prime Sector shortly after the Janarian War. Taekal and his chapter asked for a homeworld or a recruiting world in payment of their services. The Wanderers chapters seceded to them three recruiting worlds which had been reconquered by the Mysterious Chapter during the Janarian Crisis. He and his chapter came to the sector as a diplomat and an Astartes having served on both the Armaggedon war fronts under a different banner. He saw in the chapters of the Widow Prime Sector a hidden strength, one if United would strike the enemies of the Imperium into frail fear. With his induction into the Sector, his chapter found the Forgeworld of Idanus under siege by a rogue Chaos Warband: The Black Harvest. Their chemical weapons and raids having destroyed near half of the PDF forces by the time The Drake Bloods Astartes arrived. Taekal lead from the front as he always had only to be critically wounded by the Chaos Warleader of the band, Taekal not one to be deterred ignored the advice of his Apothecaries and led into battle his Company. For three weeks the two sides battled a grueling war, a standstill was reached where the Chaos Warleader angry his forces had done nothing to break the Drakebloods voxxed the chapter master into dueling him in single combat. The Chapter Master knew well that he would perish if he took such a challenge, and instead sent his Champion, Beren Terenolde to fight. He came to his longtime friend Beren and asked him."I asked you this once Beren, Live, so that others may." "Beren, as he had always done, smiled, and replied, "Brother, is that doubt I hear?" "Beren, you know well- "Chapter Master, when I return, I shall not only be alive but I shall carry his head and lay it upon your feet and remember that good friend."Beren was said to have left alone, while Taekal watched from his command post as his apothecaries tended to his wounds. Twenty-two hours past no sign of him. Thirty-three hours Beren Terenolde had still not been seen, nor had the traitors. At least three days later, Beren Terenolde returned before Taekal and bowed and threw the head of the Warleader at Taekal's feet. Beren smiled his broken armor and blade were damaged beyond repair and Beren collapsed. Beren died several moments later. Taekal's long time battle brother and friend died having slaughtered the entire chaos warbands command which had fractured and it's leader slain in the honor duel. Beren had not only killed the Warleader but had also destroyed their siege equipment and cut a pass straight to the heart of the traitors.The Black Harvest was destroyed within hours of Beren's death as Taekal lead his company in righteous fury. Not a single Chaos cultist or Traitor escaped the planet. For the bravery of a single Astartes, the chapter was awarded a Star Fortress by the Representatives of the Forgeworld and given oversight to the entire sub-sector. Ever since his victory over the Black Harvest, Taekal has learned the valuable lesson of loss. Something he wished he had never learned. Deceased Heroes 'Beren Terenolde - The Hero of Idanus' The former chapter champion of the Drake Bloods, Beren was a veteran of the Drakens and a deeply respected brother of the chapter. Some named him the Wise, the Cunning, but many referred to him as the Honored Brother. He fought in the battles of Helsreach, the War of the Storm, and was a warrior of countless and untold campagins. Beren was among the new neophytes of the Drake Bloods chapter, he was inducted into the chapter after his squad proved itself worthy in the Battle of Helsreach. After his ascension to Battle-Brother, he soared rank to rank until finally he became the chapter champion after he saved the life of his chapter master. After that moment, Taekal accounted Beren as his closest friend and advisor. Yet the story of how he slew the Chaos Warleader of the Black Harvest is shrouded in mystery, some suggest that his helm which was missing from his body might hold the key to what truly happened, but many within the chapter whisper he had fallen into a trap and had been captured. His blades of The Silver Sisters were chipped and brutalized yet they were stained with both his blood and that of many others. All that is known is that Beren died, and was marked a hero, for what he accomplished very few could have done and for that he became a hero of the chapter. After his death, Beren Terenolde was immortalized within the chapter, such was his deeds and his glory that the Star Fortress of their new Chapter fortress was named after his honor: Beren's Hold. Quotes By About Category:Imperium Category:Salamanders Successors Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Founding Category:StormWarriors2